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Programme: accepted abstracts

Abstract ID: 988

Part of Session 169: Sociolinguistic perspectives on the internationalization of HE (Other abstracts in this session)

Language use among international accounting students in Australia

Authors: Terraschke, Agnes
Submitted by: Terraschke, Agnes (Macquarie University, Australia)

Language use among international accounting students in Australia

This paper considers the sociolinguistic consequences of international education on the language development and social engagement of international students from the perspective of the students themselves.  Based on a longitudinal qualitative study of the experiences of international postgraduate students from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB), the analysis focuses on their use of spoken English while studying towards a degree in an in-demand field at an Australian university.

International education in Australia has been a growing industry over the last two decades and is now the country’s third largest export industry.  Australia’s great popularity as an education destination is due not only to the good reputation of its universities, but also to current immigration rules.  These grant extra points towards a permanent resident application to those students who complete a degree in an in-demand profession in Australia and who achieve an overall IELTS score of at least 7.  However, while studying at an Australian university may appear to present opportunities for language development through cross-cultural interaction, the data collected for the present research suggest that international NESB students have only limited contact with people outside their own cultural group.  Similar findings from other research studies highlight that this is not an isolated situation (Nesdale and Todd, 1993; Rochecouste et al. 2010).  This is a concerning trend considering that a lack of interaction with English-speaking Australians can inhibit students’ language development and is likely to reduce their chances of gaining permanent residency and finding employment in their chosen field (Birrell and Rapson 2005).  

The present study considers students’ experiences with using English both inside and outside the classroom in order to gain deeper insights into the impact of their immediate environment, the wider social setting and their personal inhibitions on their opportunities to speak English.  The study is based on quarterly semi-structured interviews with international NESB students undertaking an accounting degree.  Interviews were orthographically transcribed and closely analysed for recurring themes and common issues with the help of NVivo8 software.  Quotes from the data are used to illustrate the main concepts that emerged, and the findings are discussed with reference to the wider literature.  The study highlights an urgent need for degree programs aimed at international students to adapt their courses to the communication needs of their specific student population; recommendations are made for how this could be achieved without compromising on the quality of the education provided.  

References 

Bob and Virginia Rapson (2005). Migration and the Accounting Profession in Australia. Melbourne: Centre for Population and Urban Research.

Nesdale, Drew and Patricia Todd (1993). Internationalising Australian universities: The intercultural contact issue. Journal of Tertiary Educational Administration, 15(2), 189-202.

Rochecouste, Judith, Rhonda Oliver, Denise Mulligan and Martin Davies (2010). Addressing the Ongoing English Language Growth of International Students. Australian Learning and Teaching Council.